Below Stairs [ペーパーバック]

Very interesting read about what it was like in service in the early 1900's. The writer also has a great sense of humor. This book made for some great summer reading.

Written in an earthy manner and from a woman who spent time in domestic service starting in 1921 at the age of 14, this is a fascinating tale of life in the big house. Margaret Powell begins her story in Hove, her birthplace and home town. The daughter of a house painter/handy man/jack of all trades and a charwoman, Margaret grew up with her six siblings in a home full of love but not much else. Both parents made very little money, compounded by the fact that her father's work was mostly seasonal and there were so many mouths to feed and clothe, By the time Margaret reached the age of 13, despite being quite intelligent, she left school to work and help her family. She spent a year working in a laundry but was sacked when she reached 15 because she was due to get a raise and their were plenty of 14 year old girls who would work for less. Her mother decided that she should go into domestic service, a decision Margaret was definitely keen about.
From that point on, Margaret worked her way up from kitchen assistant (the lowest possible position in domestic service) to cook (probably the most plum of jobs within a wealthy household). She worked in a variety of households, with one seemingly worse than the other. Food and accommodations were meager and substandard and in startling contrast with the residents who employed her.
While never one to think about the differences in class, she became accutely aware of the disparity and disliked the monied class who she referred to as 'Them'. During a temporary cooking job, she manages to hit the jackpot with a family who went against type and were absolutely great to work for and were generous, thoughtful, caring and considerate. I would have sworn they were the inspiration for the Downton Abbey Crawleys and possibly even better. However, ultimately Powell felt that even the best of employers viewed those 'in service' as inferior and that even the most generous employers' largesse was strongly driven by the changing dynamics re: getting good and dependable staff. Powell, who was inquisitive and a life long learner, even repeatedly said that her years in service gave her an inferiority complex.
As she chronicles her experiences in service, she tells some funny stories and some vey sad ones. She discusses her hopes to marry and break the cycle of servitude and her adventures involving her attempts to meet Mr. Right.
When I started this book I hoped it would be interesting, but it really exceeded my expectations. Powell was vivid in her descriptions, had seemingly great recall, and structured and interesting and realistic account of working for an odd mix of eccentric and at times miserly people who were rigid in their classist society. She also managed to capture a dying way of life for those she served. After WWI, changes in society brought a gradual change in the size of household staffs and brought new dynamics to domestic service.

This book is THE classic about servants' lives in early 20th century England (and, by extensions of only one or two degrees of separation, all English). If you are interested in the subject, you simply must read Margaret Powell's work. She was a servant herself, starting as a kitchen maid around 1922 and rising through the ranks over the course of many years. She wrote three books about this experience: Below Stairs, Climbing the Stairs, and The Treasure Upstairs. Powell became famous--a celebrity favorite for TV interviews--as a result of these books about life "in service." Her writing is very matter-of-fact, not sensationalist, and it is very captivating reading.